Darren Bent has once again found himself in hot water with Tottenham supporters.
Tottenham fans endured a frustrating start to the summer as a result of the Ange Postecoglou saga. However, with Thomas Frank now in place, everyone is looking forward.
Spurs have already confirmed the permanent signings of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, and are targeting exciting players like Arnaud Kalimuendo.
Therefore, the mood has been lifted every so slightly, although Tottenham fans did not take kindly to Bent’s latest comments.
Bent compares the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Europa League
Tottenham’s UEFA Europa League triumph was monumental for the North London club, as it ended a 17-year trophy drought and secured the Lilywhites their first major European trophy since 1984.
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The dichotomy of the accomplishment and Spurs’ 17th-place Premier League finish led to widespread criticism of the prize of automatic UEFA Champions League qualification, with Arsene Wenger one of those calling for change.
Meanwhile, the revamped FIFA Club World Cup is currently underway in America, and former Spurs striker Bent said live on talkSPORT (16 June) that winning the inaugural competition dwarfs the Europa League as a stand-alone achievement.
Bent claimed, “Because of the carrot with the Champions League – [Europa League] is much bigger, because you’re back in the premium club competition.. But if you took the Champions League away, this [Club World Cup] is much bigger.”
The 41-year-old later added, “I like watching the best competition – the best level of competition, and this competition is harder to win than the Europa [League].”
The Lilywhites took to X to ridicule his statement, with many criticising the wider media’s tendency to belittle Spurs’ achievements, while one called the former England international’s take “embarrassing”.
Daniel Levy will hope to qualify for the next Club World Cup
The Club World Cup has been widely condemned for adding more fixtures to an already over-inflated football schedule, leading to more top players risking injuries.
They responded by offering a huge prize pool for both participation and progression, with the winner set to bank £30million.
Qualification for the competition is based on a continental coefficient, with Chelsea and Manchester City’s pedigree in Europe allowing them to participate.